“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15, ESV)
“A young boy in Korea was a houseboy for some American soldiers. Sometimes they thought it was funny to play harmless jokes on him. They would tease him. They would tie his shoestrings together. They would lock him out of the house.
Eventually they realized that their practical jokes were not viewed as funny by the boy, so they apologized. He said, “That’s okay, I will stop spitting in your soup now.”” (from The Outlaws of Success, Scott McKain)
The entire time the soldiers were picking on their Korean servant, he was getting even with them for their antics! The soldiers never knew until that day they apologized. So often, people harm others without knowing. Then again, some people harm others knowingly. Some are even good at getting even.
“A college professor answered his telephone at 3:00 A.M. “This is your neighbor, Mr. Smith,” said the voice. “Your dog is barking and keeping me awake.” The professor thanked him kindly and hung up. The next morning Mr. Smith’s telephone rang at exactly 3 A.M. “This is the professor,” said the caller. “I just wanted you to know that I don’t have a dog!”” (Encyclopedia of Illustrations #14107). Thus, the professor got even with his neighbor for waking him up the night before!
Some people enjoy getting even. They may relish the thought of making another person suffer for a wrong committed. However, Romans 12 teaches us that vengeance, or getting even, is something that belongs to God alone. The Bible never encourages human beings to be passionate about giving payback for a wrong. Jesus even taught that when slapped on one cheek, you should offer the other as well (Matthew 5:39).
Phillip Yancey called vengeance “a passion to get even”; an emotion that seeks to “even the score”. However, he clarified that “the problem with vengeance is that it never gets what it wants; it never evens the score. Fairness never comes. The chain reaction set off by every act of vengeance … ties both the injured and injurer to an escalator of pain… and the elevator never stops, never lets anyone off”. Life can hardly return to peaceful once vengeance has been brought to bear.
In a church located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, two women were known to be long-time enemies. They would never serve on a church committee together. They could hardly stand to be around each other. When they did attend a gathering together, they would sit at opposite ends of the room. When worshipping, they sat on opposite sides of the sanctuary!
After a stare-down at a congregational meeting, the husband of one of the women asked his wife, “Why are you mad at Ethel anyway?” She responded, “I don’t remember the first fight that caused everything. But, I do know of many other instances where that evil woman piled it on!” The husband asked the pastor to intervene. When the pastor attempted to speak to each of the women separately, they both threatened to have the pastor thrown out of the church if he didn’t end his interference!
Knowing their souls were in danger, the pastor gave a sermon on the topic of vengeance. Then, he asked all the members of the congregation to pray for one another, set aside their ill will toward others, and offer forgiveness for any slights. The sermon did nothing to quell the animosity of the two women.
Finally, the pastor asked the elders of the church what to do. He was told, “Leave it be, pastor. You can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. The two women will never give up their fight. In fact, we don’t think either knows how to exist anymore without hatred for the other. We just hope they don’t end up in hell over this bitterness.”
God had other plans.
A few years later, the granddaughter of one woman fell in love with the grandson of the other. The love between the two young people was beautiful. When the engagement was announced, both ladies were mortified. What would they do now? Finally, when the wedding day arrived, both women were required to sit in the front pews. Later, they were required to stand for pictures together with their grandchildren. Though thoroughly uncomfortable at being around each other, they could see the love of their grandchildren. Then, when great-grandchildren came along, both women ached to visit the little ones. Their special love for those great-grandchildren melted their anger and quelled their desire to get even. Over time, the two actually became good friends. However, to this day, neither can remember the impetus for their bitter feud!
The scripture for today from 1 Thessalonians 5:15 contains a command that the faithful “repay no one evil for evil.” It encourages Christians to “do good to one another and to everyone.” This is not an easy task for many people. Little resentments, upsetting remarks, dirty deeds, and manipulations can make even the most faithful of individuals desire to even the score. When wronged, your heart rate may increase. Your blood may boil (figuratively, of course!). You might fantasize about ways to get even. You might even dare to pray that God strike another down! Be wary of any form of vengeance. As Phillip Yancey noted, the passion to get even never gets what it wants. It only leads to more hurt and pain.
In today’s world where people are so very thin-skinned, there will be those who form hatred for the smallest of slights. One young lady refuses to speak to her grandmother for not using the “right pronouns”. Two brothers have not spoken for a dozen years due to a misunderstanding over a family heirloom. A jealous young girl attempted to get another girl fired for saying “Good morning” to her boyfriend. Social media has become a battleground for airing tiffs and grievances and pet-peeves. The more people repay “evil for evil”, the more suffering will be unleashed in our world. Following today’s scripture as a life principle could save our world from many heartaches. Sadly, the world is hell bent on self-destruction and getting even.
Are you harboring any ill will toward another? Why let it eat at your soul? Do you secretly desire another person to falter or fail or suffer? Why harbor such a sinful attitude? Don’t wait to confess the sin of vengeance. Desiring to even the score will only act as a poison to your very soul.
Eventually they realized that their practical jokes were not viewed as funny by the boy, so they apologized. He said, “That’s okay, I will stop spitting in your soup now.”” (from The Outlaws of Success, Scott McKain)
The entire time the soldiers were picking on their Korean servant, he was getting even with them for their antics! The soldiers never knew until that day they apologized. So often, people harm others without knowing. Then again, some people harm others knowingly. Some are even good at getting even.
“A college professor answered his telephone at 3:00 A.M. “This is your neighbor, Mr. Smith,” said the voice. “Your dog is barking and keeping me awake.” The professor thanked him kindly and hung up. The next morning Mr. Smith’s telephone rang at exactly 3 A.M. “This is the professor,” said the caller. “I just wanted you to know that I don’t have a dog!”” (Encyclopedia of Illustrations #14107). Thus, the professor got even with his neighbor for waking him up the night before!
Some people enjoy getting even. They may relish the thought of making another person suffer for a wrong committed. However, Romans 12 teaches us that vengeance, or getting even, is something that belongs to God alone. The Bible never encourages human beings to be passionate about giving payback for a wrong. Jesus even taught that when slapped on one cheek, you should offer the other as well (Matthew 5:39).
Phillip Yancey called vengeance “a passion to get even”; an emotion that seeks to “even the score”. However, he clarified that “the problem with vengeance is that it never gets what it wants; it never evens the score. Fairness never comes. The chain reaction set off by every act of vengeance … ties both the injured and injurer to an escalator of pain… and the elevator never stops, never lets anyone off”. Life can hardly return to peaceful once vengeance has been brought to bear.
In a church located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, two women were known to be long-time enemies. They would never serve on a church committee together. They could hardly stand to be around each other. When they did attend a gathering together, they would sit at opposite ends of the room. When worshipping, they sat on opposite sides of the sanctuary!
After a stare-down at a congregational meeting, the husband of one of the women asked his wife, “Why are you mad at Ethel anyway?” She responded, “I don’t remember the first fight that caused everything. But, I do know of many other instances where that evil woman piled it on!” The husband asked the pastor to intervene. When the pastor attempted to speak to each of the women separately, they both threatened to have the pastor thrown out of the church if he didn’t end his interference!
Knowing their souls were in danger, the pastor gave a sermon on the topic of vengeance. Then, he asked all the members of the congregation to pray for one another, set aside their ill will toward others, and offer forgiveness for any slights. The sermon did nothing to quell the animosity of the two women.
Finally, the pastor asked the elders of the church what to do. He was told, “Leave it be, pastor. You can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. The two women will never give up their fight. In fact, we don’t think either knows how to exist anymore without hatred for the other. We just hope they don’t end up in hell over this bitterness.”
God had other plans.
A few years later, the granddaughter of one woman fell in love with the grandson of the other. The love between the two young people was beautiful. When the engagement was announced, both ladies were mortified. What would they do now? Finally, when the wedding day arrived, both women were required to sit in the front pews. Later, they were required to stand for pictures together with their grandchildren. Though thoroughly uncomfortable at being around each other, they could see the love of their grandchildren. Then, when great-grandchildren came along, both women ached to visit the little ones. Their special love for those great-grandchildren melted their anger and quelled their desire to get even. Over time, the two actually became good friends. However, to this day, neither can remember the impetus for their bitter feud!
The scripture for today from 1 Thessalonians 5:15 contains a command that the faithful “repay no one evil for evil.” It encourages Christians to “do good to one another and to everyone.” This is not an easy task for many people. Little resentments, upsetting remarks, dirty deeds, and manipulations can make even the most faithful of individuals desire to even the score. When wronged, your heart rate may increase. Your blood may boil (figuratively, of course!). You might fantasize about ways to get even. You might even dare to pray that God strike another down! Be wary of any form of vengeance. As Phillip Yancey noted, the passion to get even never gets what it wants. It only leads to more hurt and pain.
In today’s world where people are so very thin-skinned, there will be those who form hatred for the smallest of slights. One young lady refuses to speak to her grandmother for not using the “right pronouns”. Two brothers have not spoken for a dozen years due to a misunderstanding over a family heirloom. A jealous young girl attempted to get another girl fired for saying “Good morning” to her boyfriend. Social media has become a battleground for airing tiffs and grievances and pet-peeves. The more people repay “evil for evil”, the more suffering will be unleashed in our world. Following today’s scripture as a life principle could save our world from many heartaches. Sadly, the world is hell bent on self-destruction and getting even.
Are you harboring any ill will toward another? Why let it eat at your soul? Do you secretly desire another person to falter or fail or suffer? Why harbor such a sinful attitude? Don’t wait to confess the sin of vengeance. Desiring to even the score will only act as a poison to your very soul.